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Apparently, the smaller the city and lower the income, the
greater the weight of women. What does the size of the city have to
do with your weight? It seems like a lot!
A study by Kansas State University found that having a
supermarket nearby increases the risk of obesity in low-income
women living in small towns with a population less than 40,000.
However, this doesn’t happen in the case of rural and metropolitan
areas.

If I’m Hungry, I Go to the Market!According to researchers, the solution is not having
supermarkets in all cities, but there should be stores with healthy
products, at affordable prices.
Women in small towns buy at markets that are within a radius
of 1.3 to 5 miles from their homes. These women, with lower
incomes, are more limited by transportation, which limits their
choices of where to buy, since they must choose somewhere near
their homes.

According to the managers of this research, David
Dzewaltowski, professor at the University of Kansas and Director of
the Department of Kinesiology, and Paula Ford, assistant professor
of Public Health Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso,
“the possibility of choosing a supermarket should be more important
than availability. In addition, we must consider that low-income
women who live in small cities are more exposed to fast food
restaurants and other high-calorie choices, that are generally
absent in rural areas.”

Make a List Before Going to the MarketMaybe having the market close, many people don’t feel the
need of making a list of what they need, unlike women living in
rural areas, where they must write things down, in order not to
forget anything.
And we all know what happens when we go to the store and buy
“what comes up at the moment.” We fill up the cart of basket with
“temptations,” leaving out healthier foods.
Also, in small towns, the cost of vegetables and fruits is
usually above average. This complicates the decision if you’re
trying to lower costs.
If any of these examples is your case, follow these tips:

• Find out which supermarkets offer the best prices for
fruits and vegetables, and assign one day a week to go to that
market.
• Each time you go to the market, make a list. This way,
you’ll save more than when buying randomly, and you’ll make wiser,
healthier choices.
• If there are special offers of fruits and vegetables on
Sundays, go to the market this day and compare prices. In some
cases, foods will be more expensive, because they’re organic, but
others have better prices.
• Avoid purchasing your foods on a daily basis, since you’ll
be at risk of buying unnecessary things.

With some minor changes in your buying habits, you’ll get
more than you imagine. First, you’ll save money if you buy in a
more organized way; second, you’ll save calories, planning your
meals and buying only what you need. Who knows… maybe the next
study will conclude slim women live in the smallest cities.